THE CROW
by CrowMaster
Summary: XPW wrestler Crow encounters more than wrestlers in this short story.


  
About a year ago myself along with The Rock was kidnapped by the Undertaker and his henchmen. We escaped with minor cuts and bruises and for the Undertaker, well he is no longer with the company. Now my character has turned over a new leaf and I'm now with Edge, Raven and Chris Benoit. We form The Hardcore Bunch. A lot has changed since the incident. The big three merged together and formed Extreme Pro Wrestling. Which really fits because barely anybody gets along and the matches are some of the most extreme, violent matches anybody has ever seen. On a lighter note they brought my girlfriend Brenda into the storyline as my manager. She is the Princess of Extreme, because we all know who the Queen of Extreme is. The "powers that be" have named the match and place. Edge will face me, The Crow, at November to Remember 2000. Edge is a great wrestler and I know he can get hardcore when he wants to.   
"I was talking with Paul and Vince and they sad that they are going to be making some changes in the line of tonight." I said to my team.  
"What changes?" asked Edge.  
"Well, I guess to make things more excitable, you" and I pointed to Chris, "and me will be in the ring."   
"What?" Chris asked as if to make sure he heard right.  
"We're fighting each other tonight in the ring." I returned.  
"They can't do that! I already have a match tonight against Rhino!" he said.  
"Listen. If JR or Joey hasn't announced it yet than it's not official." Edge beamed in.1  
"He's right if we can get to Vince and Paul before this goes public we can stop it."   
"Hey guys I gotta go. I'm needed in the ring." said Raven.  
"Brenda. Why don't you go with him. He needs the support." I said with a smile.  
"Hey just because I'm facing Jericho doesn't mean I need help." He said.  
"Remember the last time you fought Jericho?" I said, "You almost got your head taken off going through that table."   
"No. I had complete control." He joked then walked off with Brenda. I was watching the monitor in the back with Edge and Benoit listening incase JR or Joey mentions the match tonight.  
"I'm going to go talk with Paul about this thing. He can't do this to us." Benoit walked off looking for Paul.   
  
YOU GOTTA KEEP 'EM SEPERATED! Raven walks through the entrance way to a big pop. The crowd really likes him and not to mention Brenda. She walked down the aisle in front of Raven smile or the crowd. She had a black leather top on and black, short little shorts on. Raven and Brenda enter the ring and Raven immediately goes after Jericho. He runs after him and clothelines him from behind. And the match is underway. Raven keeps stomping on Jericho's back and shoulder. Not letting any remorse show through. He then stops and raises his hands in the air. Half the crowd boos him and the other half pops for him. But he turns his back on Jericho and Jericho takes advantage drop kicks Raven in the back of the head. Raven goes down and Jericho puts a sleeper hold on him. Usually during this moment the wrestlers remind each other what to do, but no one talked to each other. The ref knew the storyline was thrown out the window for this match. Raven then started building momentum from crowd and got to his feet. Punched Jericho in the stomach a few times and broke free and ran toward the ropes. Raven came back was met by a huge forearm from Jericho. Jericho than came off the ropes and jumped and did a hurricanrana on Raven sending him rolling to the outside. Brenda went to meet and him whispered words of encouragement into his ear. But just as soon she was done Jericho was outside pounding on Raven. Jericho whipped Raven into the guardrail and bent the guardrail! Jericho did it again but Raven reversed it and Jericho ran into the guardrail. Brenda came over with a chair and Raven grabbed and swung at Jericho. Jericho moved and Raven hit the guardrail. Jericho kicked Raven in the kidneys causing him to drop the chair and Jericho picked it up and smashed Raven right in the head, TWICE! Jericho looked at the chair and there were two dents made by Raven's face. Jericho dropped the chair and Raven was layed on the concrete floor. Jericho picked him up and rolled him in the ring. He looked under the ring and brought a table up from under. He thew it in and set it up. Positioned it in the middle. Meanwhile Raven was getting up and was handed a steel chair by Brenda. He got up and hit Jericho in the back on the head. Jericho sprawled out on the table. Raven slowly climbed up to the top turnbuckle. Jericho got up hit Raven in the leg making him drop down...well...you know. Jericho then went to top turnbuckle and set him up for a superplex. But out of nowhere Rhino along with the Impact Players and DX came out and Justin Credible hit Jericho in the back with that cane. He then layed Jericho on the table and wanted Raven to splash him. Raven went to the top and jumped, but Rhino jumped over Jericho and speared Raven out of his mind. The whole arena shouted in pain. HHH took the mic and demanded that Benoit get his scared ass out here and get it beat by the Rookie Monster Rhino. The lights went dim and "WALK" blared over the speakers. The crowd went wild and started chanting CROW! CROW! CROW! When the lights came back on I was standing behind them, who was facing the entrance way. The crowd popped big for me. The first one to turn around was X-Pac and Bad Ass. I took my chair and smashed it into both their faces. Then Road Dog and Steve Corino turned around I smashed them. The chair had 4 big dents in it made by four thick skulls. Lance Storm, Justin Credible and HHH turned and saw me and they bailed and left Rhino in there. I gotta give the kid credit, he's got guts standing with me in the ring while I have a steel chair. I swung at him and he ducked. I turned around and saw him charging at me. I quickly held the chair to my mid-section and Rhino speared the chair! HARD! It broke the holdings of the folding chair and knocked him out cold. After a few minutes I rolled Rhino off of me and stood to a huge crowd reaction. I took and mic went off ranting.  
"DX, The Impact Players, you left your b**** in the ring!" I yelled, the crowd cheered.  
"If you call out one member of the BUNCH then you just called out the Hardcore Bunch." I pointed to HHH and The Impact Players outside of the ring. They glared back at me.  
"You want to start war big man?" It wasn't really a question, but more of a challenge.  
"You got it. The Hardcore Bunch against the B*****!!" I yelled. The crowd went absolutely wild. HHH and the IP were asking for a mic.   
"You got it boy. But have you forgotten about that little blond hair pretty boy Edge. He's fighting the Sandman tonight. I guess it's going to 2 on 3 tonight." I said with a smile.   
"(hehe) You think you got my number don't you? WELL YOU DON'T!! I found myself a partner already." I said. HHH mouthed WHO?  
"I would tell you, but I want you to Smell What I'm Cooking!!!" I yelled.   
DO YOU SMELL WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKING? The crowd screams louder than I've ever heard before. The Rock casually walks out in one of those $500 shirts and that confident walk he always wears. He enters the ring and looks at me. Then asks for a mic.  
"FINALLY THE ROCK HAS COME BACK TO MEMPHIS!!" The crowd said in chorus with The Great One.  
"HHH, you jabroni...You think that you have everyone's number don't you? You got the got the championship belt and you got your little jabronis protecting you." Referring to the IP.   
"Well the Rock says this. You can take those little jabronis....." the crowd cheers, "Shine them up real nice, turn that SONA BITCH SIDEWAYS and stick it straight up your CANDY ASS!!!" I smiled an evil smile. Staring down HHH.   
"I only got one thing to say after that. Well TWO WORDS really." The crowd cheers.  
"HARD..CORE!!!" I screamed.   
  
In the back I was talking to RVD. He told me that the Impact Players are and HHH are all bark and no bite.  
"All bark and no bite? What about Austin's leg? Or the Sandman's leaving ECW?" I asked.  
"Well, they can have a lot of bite when you piss them off." Said RVD. He turned to the monitor and pointed.  
"See even Road Dogg and X-Pac can be bad asses." On the monitor was a match between DX and Too Cool. DX was just dominating them.   
"So what's your advice?" I finally asked.  
"It's this. Go out there and get HARCORE with them. He only guy who could maybe match you and is Credible."   
"Ok thanks man. I owe you."   
"Hey, I'll remember that." He said smiling.  
I walked off with a half smile on my face. Because I would have to go talk strategy with the Rock, and he's not really a strategy talker with anyone, let alone me. I hesitantly knocked on the Rock's door and let myself in.  
"Yo Rock!" I said, "we got to talk."  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. First of all you barge in the Great One's dressing room demanding to talk with The Rock. And second....What do you want jabroni?"  
I stood there unaffected by The Rock's smart mouthing.   
"What's our game plan? We fight them tonight you know?" with my smart attitude.  
"Didn't The Rock just tell you not to demand anything from The Rock?" he asked.  
"That's not the question here Great One." I said. The Rock held back his anger and stared at me.  
"The question is how are we going to beat the Impact Players and that b****  
HHH?" I got right in his face.  
"And don't get smart with me I'll knock those $300 sunglasses right off your face." I said through gritted teethe. The Rock stared right back at me and said.  
"What you need to do is turn around walk right out of here before The Rock lays the smackdown on your candy ass." He said angrily. I smiled that evil smile and walked off saying.  
"We'll see."  
  
First the Impact Players came out to a loud heel reaction. Justin Credible got the mic and was ranting on about me and The Rock and how we're not as cooperating with each other as the IP are. That's one thing I really agree with him on. I hate The Rock and the Rock hates me. Then Rocky's music hits and the crowd goes wild. One of the loudest reactions I've ever heard. Then he goes ranting on doing his usual speech. Then my music blared over the speakers and the crowd goes absolutely wild. I walk out and pay no attention to the crowd. I keep my eyes straight ahead on the Impact Players. I glance at the Rock who has his beating eyes locked right on mine. I so focused on the match I didn't notice the crowd go silent. Then someone attacked me from behind. I fell down and looked the rest of DX in the eyes. Then Rocky came down and was beating DX back to the dressing room. I got up and ran into the ring with my steel chair blasted Lance Storm right between the eyes. Credible just stood there with the cane and begged me to hit him. I smiled and swung my chair at him. He ducked and hit me between the eyes with the cane. I fell down almost completely out. Credible rolled Storm over on me and made the ref count. Suddenly Rocky came back and hit Credible then dropped an elbow on Storm. I slowly got up and went right after Storm. I punched him a few times then flung him into the ropes. I dropped kicked him and pinned him. I got the two, which didn't surprise me much. I tagged the Rock in and he picked up Storm by the head repeatedly slapped him into the corner until he fell down to the second turnbuckle. He looked out to the crowd who started chanting ROCKY! ROCKY! and kicked Storm in head. He then picked up Storm then thumbed to the eye by Storm and just like that it was his match. He kicked Rocky and punched Rocky. But Rock kept battling back until a painful DDT on the chair that was left in the ring stopped him. Storm tagged in Credible, who still had the cane, and viciously caned Rock over and over again until I couldn't take in anymore and ran after him. I was stopped momentarily by the ref who I just shoved aside and turned Credible and kicked him between the legs and grabbed the cane and caned him between the eyes. Storm came in and I did the same to him. I rolled Rocky on Credible and the ref counted 1....2....kick out. I thought he had him!! Then I went back to my corner and waited for the Rock to make the tag with no one for Credible to tag I was anxious to get in. The Rock crawled his way to my corner and tagged me. Then out of no where Rhino came in and gored (speared) me. He then tagged Justin, who was still lying motionless in the middle of the ring, and covered me. The ref had no problem counting the three on me. I somehow managed to get my shoulder up. I saw out the corer of my eye Rhino stomping in disbelief. Rocky then stumbled his way over here and Rhino punched him in the face sending Rock to the outside. They continued to battle on the outside when Credible and Lance attacked me. Their boots kicking me in the mid section relentlessly. Then suddenly Edge came running from the crowd and speared Storm and Credible. Then HHH came running down and kicked Edge...PEDIGREE! He rolled Edge to the outside. I then got to my feet and on the Titan Tron were my buddies Raven and Chris Benoit tying the rest of DX to chairs. Saying stuff about  
"Your not going to interfere tonight guys!!" Then they went off camera.  
Back in the ring, I was just standing there wondering what that was about and was caned in the back of the head by Credible. I fell forward in a heap. Barely conscience I was crawling towards the ropes hoping that Brenda was there with my chair. Then out of the corner of my I saw Jason holding Brenda and Dawn Marie slapping her. I also noticed Rock bodyslamming Storm on the concrete. I rolled over on my back and saw Credible standing over me shouting something I couldn't make out. Then Rocky had a chair in his hands and yelled  
"Hey Justin!"   
He turned around and was met by a steel chair in the face. The crowd went wild for The Rock. I stumbled to my feet and picked him up and did a Gigantic Bomb (a powerbomb that is more deadly than that of Kevin Nash's). I fell on Credible and got the three. I sat up and raised my arms to a huge crowd chanting CROW! CROW! CROW! I looked over at Rock and he was staring me down. I got up and got right in his face. We started exchanging words that sounded like a bar room at 12 a.m. in the morning. A lot of skill bashing. We were broken up by Edge, Chris, Raven and Brenda. I was still looking a hole right through him. He was returning the favor. As I walked out of he ring bruised and battered, with a raging headache I looked back in the ring at Rock who was standing looking at the people and knew that there was going to be a match between me and the Great One soon down the road. My thought interupted when Chris told me the news.  
"Guess what my man."   
"What?"  
"The match is called off tonight. We're not wrestling!" he said excitedly.  
"That's good Chris. Now that there isn't a match tonight you can help me get rid of this headache."  
  
Although we didn't have a match tonight Edge did. Against the cane swinging, beer guzzling mad man Sandman. I didn't know if he could handle this after that nasty spill he took, being thrown to the outside by Lance. I convinced him to lower the Edge high-flying tactics just for tonight. Even though that wasn't good enough for me. I knew in the pit of my stomach that this wasn't going to be a night for the Bunch. His match was the main event of HardCore Raw. He was catapulted to main event status after defeating The Big Show in a non-title match. And the Sandman needs no explanation.   
"I really have a bad feeling tonight." I said to an aching Raven.   
"Don't worry about it. Edge is tough guy. He'll survive." That reassurance from Raven didn't help. I had an aching stomach to go along with an aching head.  
"Where's DX and the Impact Players?" They were also on my mind. The Sandman and Edge in the same ring, alone, is just a dream come true for them.   
"I don't know. They should be in their dressing room."   
"I looked. They're not there." I said. I shouldn't have said that with Brenda in the room.  
"You went to their dressing room? Are you nuts Chris? You could've been caned. Or even worse!" she yelled.  
"I know, I know. Luckily they weren't there." I looked back at the monitor and Brenda hugged me from behind. I put my arm up on her back. Then the match started. I wasn't paying attention to the action in the ring, but the action that was going to happen on the outside.  
About 4 minutes into the match DX appeared from under the ring and attacked Sandman and Edge from all sides. We wanted to get up and run down there but Edge said it was important to him that we stay out of this. I grudgingly sat there and watched him get beat senseless by DX. Then out of the curtain came HHH, the IP, Rhino and Corino all running towards the ring. Rhino gored Sandman hard, and Edge was pedrigreed on a steel chair. I was about to get up and run down there when Tommy Dreamer and Francine appeared in the ring. Dreamer was doing good until he was viscously caned by Credible. Francine was on top of Dawn Marie choking her. X-Pac picked her up by her hair and that was it for me. I got up and ran out of the room with Raven and Brenda close behind. Chris apparently seen us and was right behind us. We ran out of the curtain and into the ring. We were hitting anything that moved. Brenda rolled Francine out and attacked Dawn Marie. We were cleaning house until Raven and Chris suffered the same injury that Dreamer did. I, however, grabbed Credible's cane just before he was going to hit Brenda. He turned around and was caned so hard that the thing broke in two. Then Corino hit me in the back of the head with a spin kick and I went down. Brenda luckily bailed out and consoled Francine. Just when I thought we were done, the Rock's music hit and he came running down with a 2X4.Everyone bailed out and went to the aisle. The Rock standing tall with his weapon of choice. I got up holding my head and walked over to the Rock. He turned around and looked at me. Everyone else was just standing watching us. I extended my hand in friendship the crowd was chanting ROCKY, ROCKY. He looked out to the people as if to ask them if he should do it. Then he returned my handshake with one of his own. Then he rolled out of the ring walking off.  
  
LATER THAT NIGHT.  
The long stretch of road ahead of me made my eyes tired and I needed sleep badly. I turned my head around to the backseat and saw Brenda sound asleep in sweat pants and a sweat pants and a sweat shirt. I turned back to the road and saw a car off in the distance. I payed no attention to it and kept on driving. It was peaceful. This open country, long road ahead of us and  
"CRASH!!"  
My jerked forward and smacked the top of the car. Brenda woke suddenly and screamed. I turned around and saw the same car I passed by a few minutes ago ramming us.   
"HANG ON!" I yelled, and jerked the wheel to the left. The car stayed behind us and was intent on making us crash. I jerked the wheel the right and ran off the road into the desert.  
"What's happening?!" Brenda yelled. I turned and saw her frightened face, now in the seat next to me.   
"It'll be over in a second!!" I yelled back. I stepped on the gas sped ahead, occasionally looking in the rearview mirror. Then, simultaneously, turned the wheel left and stepped on the brakes.  
"HANG ON!!!" I yelled  
The car did a 180 and stopped. I then put the car in 4th and sped forward.   
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Brenda yelled. I thought for a moment then said.  
"Have you ever heard of chicken?" I asked.  
"Yeah!! SO!!"  
"Well find out who's chicken!" I said. The other was headed straight for us. I lined my headlights up with his and hoped he a moment of fear. We both braced ourselves and waited the for the impact. But at the last second the other car turned and flipped over on it's hood. I looked back with total surprise and saw the car on it's hood. I turned and around headed back to the scene. I came to a stop in front of the car with the headlights still on and saw no movement.  
"Is the driver ok?" Brenda softly asked. I looked at her with confusion.  
"He just tried to kill us and now you ask if he's ok?" I said.  
"Well I have common sense unlike other people I know!" she yelled.  
"DAMN!!" I yelled. I opened the door, got out and slammed it. I just stood there with my hands on the hood and looked over at the overturned car.   
"I'll go check and see if he's fine." I reluctantly said.  
"Good." She said back. I began to walk over to the car with only my headlights to guide me. It was pitch black, and the moon was so beautiful. I circled the car and bent to look through the car door window. I looked and saw no one. I Shot up and looked at Brenda in the passenger side. I ran over and opened the door.   
I rolled all the windows up before she could ask me any questions.   
"Well....Is he okay?" she asked. I didn't answer and backed up and turned around.  
"Well?" she asked again, this time with more anger. Then I sped off.  
"Answer me!!" she shouted.|  
"No one was there!!" I yelled.  
"What?"  
"No one was there. I looked through the car door window and no one was there."  
"Ar..Ar..Are you sure?" she stammered.  
"Yes, I'm sure."  
"Well where is he then?"  
"I don't know. I don't even know if it was a he." I had a concerned look on my face.  
"Chris."  
"Yeah?" I looked over at my beautiful wife Brenda. She was scared, and so was I.  
"Let's not travel by car, at night, any more." She said. I shook my head and kissed her. I saw a Holiday Inn up ahead.   
"Finally" I said. But the fun is just beginning.   
  
RAW IS WAR  
I walked into the arena and saw Vince. I caught up him and told him everything last night. He looked surprised and took me and Brenda to his dressing room.  
"Hey Chris, hey Brenda." Stephanie said. Smiled and returned her greeting. Brenda was still a little shaken from last night but said hi.  
"What's wrong?" Stephanie asked.  
"Nothing really. Just had a little accident last night." I said with as little as possible concern in my voice.  
"A little accident?" Vince asked surprised, "I think almost getting killed by another person hardly qualifies as a little accident!" he began to raise his voice. I looked at him and Stephanie and assured them that we were fine.   
"Well do you know who behind the wheel? Asked Steph  
"No. We couldn't see the face." Brenda replied.  
"And when I went to go check to see if he..or she was ok. No one was in the car."   
"That's strange. Where could he or she have gone in that little amount of time?" While Vince pondered that question there was a knock on the door. I looked up and Steph opened the door. Test came through and wanted to talk with Vince.  
"Hey guys. What's wrong?" he could see, like Vince and Steph could, the total spaced out look in my eyes. And all I could come out with was.  
"Nothing."   
I stood and lied to one of my best friends and my boss straight out. I looked over at Steph and Shane who had a look of surprise on there face.   
"What?" I asked.   
"Nothing, it's just that last night Steve Corino asked to leave early." I, once again jumped to conclusions, and walked out.  
"Chris! Chris! It's not worth it!" DON'T!!" I didn't pay any attention to Brenda or the rest of them. I ran out and ran into Corino's room.   
"WHAT THE!-" I speared him into the wall and started beating on him. After a minute or two security and other wrestlers came in to break us up. The cameraman was there to.   
"I want you Corino tonight!! No way of getting out of it!" I shouted trying to break through 8 guys who were holding me back. Suddenly Vince appeared between us.  
"Crow you want a match with Corino?! You got one." He then went on to say, "but it's gonna be a six man tag match. Corino and the New Age Outlaws against Crow and The Acolytes tonight!" Corino looked scared and I had a smile that reached from ear to ear.  
  
"What are you doing? You can't fight all of them. Are you crazy?" asked Edge.  
"No. Just me and The Acolytes. It's personal now." I got up and left the room.  
"He's crazy." Brenda said. I may be crazy but I'm not stupid. They think I'm going alone out there?  
  
Every single member of the new Degeneration X walks out. All 10 of them came out. Then after 10 minutes of entrances. My music hit. I didn't waste anytime, I ran out and slid in the ring. Everyone backed out because I had a baseball bat and a chair. The crowd is happy to see some violence tonight. Then the Acolytes music hit and they got a huge pop. Damn are they big. Bradshaw stands at 6'7" weighs nearly 300 lbs. And Farooq is shorter but is just as tough. I asked for a mic and looked around the crowd.   
"I hate to tell you this but this isn't gonna be a six man tag match." The crowd was puzzled.   
"Because you see HHH and his little fairies have convinced Vince to make this a very unfair match." The crowd booed the hell out Vince and DX.  
"Well, that's what I said. But I have an idea of my own. I have 4 guys behind that curtain just waiting to beat the hell out of you guys!" I pointed downward.  
"One by one come on out." I dropped the mic.   
  
First one to come out was Tommy Dreamer and Francine. The crowd yelled for both of them and especially for Francine. Tommy climbed through the ropes and hugged me. Then the Big Show came walking out and DX looked very scared. He climbed over the top rope and just stood there.   
YOU GOTTA KEEP EM SEPERATED!! The crowd goes wild and Raven slowly walks out. He slaps hands with the fans occasionally and oes through the ropes, then sits down in the turnbuckle.   
"And finally this man HAS COME BACK TO SEATLE!!" The Rock's music hits he gets the biggest pop of the night. The Rock walks down the aisle and looks around the arena at his fans. The fans scream at the top of their lungs. Rock sucks it all in and runs to the ring. The fight is automatically on. Everyone is in a brawl. I turn my attention directly to Corino. He narrowly escapes with is life and I get hit in the back. I go down look at my team mates, everyone was doing fine except Big Show. He was being cornered by Rhino and Justin. I get up and clotheslined Credible and Big Show head butted Rhino. In a matter of minutes everyone was on the outside except for HHH and I. I was pounding him into the corner until his head was on the bottom turnbuckle. I then backed up across the mat and ran towards him and dropped kicked him right between the eyes. I got up and was speared by Rhino. I had the wind knocked out of me. I crawled out of the ring and tried to by me some time. Everyone was at their respectable corners and Farooq ran in. I got up sat on the apron. I got more than the wind knocked out of me. I think I got bruised a rib. Rock asked if was ok and I nodded. I put my hand out I Farooq slapped it. I went through the ropes and kicked him. And kept kicking him until he was down. I liked what I saw, he was split open and bleeding badly. I was like a swat dog sniffing out illegal substances. I jumped on him and was pounching him in the face. I walked slowly to the other corner and tried to breathe in and ran across the ring and did my patented elbow drop. My opponent, which in this case is Rhino, is at the bottom turnbuckle laying his head against it. I run towards him then jump and simultaneously spin in the air and my elbow either goes into his chest or if it's a good night between his eyes. This night was a good night, not counting the fact that my ribs are killing me. Then Cactus put his hand out and I quickly slapped it. I rolled out and watched Cactus beat down Rhino who, also quickly tagged out. Credible tagged in a seemed to be not afraid of Cactus and came right at him. Mick has a big heart and is the toughest guy I've ever seen, but I don't think he can survive this onslaught of Credible and Storm. I was about to get back up when Dreamer ran in to help Cactus. I looked up and I was suddenly alone on the apron.  
As I sit there holding my chest I again ponder the line of work I went in to. My train of thought was broken when Corino flew outside in front of me. I smiled and grabbed him by the head. The ring was cleared and all the wrestlers were on the outside. I threw Corino back inside and turned into the person known as Crow. Corino got up and looked at me and begged for my forgiveness. But I don't want his forgiveness, I want his head served to me on platter. He then kicked me and kicked me again. As I looked back up at him I smiled and punched again and again and again. I picked him up and I took my chair that was on the apron and set it up. Then Cactus threw another chair into the ring and I set that up. I set him up for my infamous powerbomb. But I hesitated, then signaled for the turnbuckle. I punched him a few more times for good measure and climbed to the top rope. Corino had to follow because I held onto him like I was holding onto $1,000,000. I then picked him up and threw him down on the two chairs. Corino was out. The back of his head hit the chairs. They now looked like two tongues. I raised my hands and looked out to the crowd.   
  
  
This night was different from the last time we traveled. We went by plane instead of car. Even though I'll never find out who tried to run us off the road, I still have the little thought in the back of my mind that Corino had something to do with it. I got that thought out of my mind and tried to sleep.   
In about an hour I woke up and went to the bathroom. As I sat there I was thinking about the match tomorrow night on November 2 Remember. I don't really want to fight Edge. But the #1 contender for the Heavyweight Belt was on the line. And I just got word today that the match is a steel cage match. I've been in steel cage matches before but with no one the likes of Edge. He's been in that memorable ladder match at No Mercy. He knows how to take a risk. But so do I. I've been in matches with Sabu, Matsato Tanaka, Mick, and Raven just to name a few. It will be a match to for the ages. The PPV is booked as Triple Main Event. With me and Edge, RVD vs. Rock, and The Impact Players vs. Dreamer and Benoit. Raven was suspended for hitting our "beloved" commissioner Kevin Nash. Although he said no outside interferance I'm going get involved and make a 6 man tag match for the belts. No matter how battered and bruised I'll be there's no stopping me. I know that other HHH or Corino will get involved. And when he does I'll be there. I'll be there to kick his ass so hard that Stephanie will feel it.  
  
NOVEMBER 2 REMEMBER  
I've been watching the whole PPV from my locker room and it was good so far. With 3 matches already gone by. A very good match that involved The New Age Outlaws, The Acolytes, Harlem Heat and The Hardys. In the end after numerous powerbombs the Acolytes won. That means they are the #1 contenders for the tag titles. Then a sort of boring with Too Cool and Hollys. I forgot who won that one.   
Then an AWESOME match between Kane and Mike Awesome. There was plenty of powermoves here. Kane with a top lariet and Awesome with a powerbomb from the apron. Kane came up with the victory.   
  
A few matches later it was my match. I watched from the monitor as they set up the extended cage that I asked for. Instead of the standard 15 foot cage It was at least 20 - 25 feet. I breathed in and walked out of my room. Everything seemed to go by slow to me. But without a moments notice I was in the ring surrounded by the ominous steel cage. I looked over Edge and he had a look of hesitation on his face. Then the bell rang. Edge wiped the look of hesitation on his and ran at me. I spun around and tried my spin kick. Edge ducked clotheslined me. The objective is climb over the cage and have both feet touch the ground. I jumped back up and Egde started to pummel me into the corner. I fell down and layed against the bottom turnbuckle. Edge picked me up and threw me, I reversed it and kneed him in the stomach then picked him up on the shoulder and gave him a samoan drop. I learned to never pay attention to the crowd because it just distracts you. But I couldn't help but notice the crowd booing. I sat up and immediately noticed Corino and Tajiri outside. I got up and continued to beat on Edge. I threw him against the ropes and dropkicked him. I then went up the top turnbuckle and waited for him to get up. I then jumped and was drop kicked by Edge. My stomach just turned and churned and ached like hell. Edge picked me up and gave me a suplex. I looked up and saw Edge on the turnbuckle. I was like oh no! then he came down on me with a leg drop. Then he went to climb up and cage. I popped up and followed him. He was half way up the cage when I grabbed him by the head and threw him down with me. We both crashed down to the mat with such force that it knocked me for like a minute. When I woke up Edge was also just getting up. So I wasn't alone. I looked over for Corino and Tajiri, but they were gone. I got up and punched Edge over and again. Then I held up my hand and everyone knew what was coming. I grabbed Edge and set him up for the powerbomb. When I brought him up he came loose and gave me the Downward spiral. I had a lot of moves put on me. But that move had to be the most innovative and painful move I've been in. My nose smacked against the mat and it started bleeding. Edge got up and warily walked to the cage and climbed up. I gathered up my composure and went after him. He was almost out when I reached him. I climbed on the cage and knelt on it. Edge saw me and I punched him 3 times and did a move that I would pay for later. I don't know what possesed me to do it, but it would turn out to be the most memorable move the fans ever saw. I flipped over and, I have no idea how I did it, grabbed his legs and did a sunset flip in the air and Edge flipped over and he landed on his stomach. I on the other hand had apparently hit the back on head on the cage and was bleeding. I didn't know it of course and continued the match. Edge was knocked out, and I had a chance to win. But I didn't think that the fans wanted it to end. I wanted them to walk out of the arena in awe over what they have seen tonight. So I walked over to Edge and picked him while saying to him  
"I'm going to continue." Edge just looked at me with a look of WHY? on his face. I just answered him with a DDT. It was about half way into the match that I noticed I was bleeding. It wasn't a big cut, in fact it wasn't even a bad cut. It just bled like a son of a bitch. I stood up and leaned against the ropes trying to catch my breath. Then Edge slowly got up and ran and clotheslined him. About a few minutes ago they had a high risk and even dangerous move attempted by me. Now they were going to see another one, also attempted by me. I climbed up the cage and made it look like I was going to climb out. But I stood on the top of the cage and raised my hands. I was about 25 feet up and I loved it. I felt like Mick during the Hell In a Cell match, only a little bit more stable. I then prayed that I would not die and jumped. I did my version of the shooting star press Kidman does. Edge rolled out the way and I violently crashed to the mat. My already messed up stomach was now almost torn up. Edge wasted no time and picked me up. I was tossed to the turnbuckle and was kicked repeatedly in the stomach. Edge climbed over and climbed up the cage. I got up and climbed to the top rope. I grabbed him and put my hands around his waist and I gave him a german suplex off the top rope! I wanted to leave but something compelled me to stay. I never wanted to get hurt more than I did now. I got up and picked Edge up. He hit me into the corner and threw me to the other side. I bounced back and was speared out of my mind by Edge. I never really thought about this before but why did I ask for a higher cage?   
Edge was intent on winning. He climbed up the cage. But he did something that surprised me. He didn't climb down, instead he stood there and waited for something. Then I realized what for and I got up and just stood there dazed. He then jumped from the top of the cage and drop kicked me. I had been bruised and battered, but I still want to make the tag match a 6 man tag match. We both got up and we agreed that this was it. I wanted out he wanted out, I think we made a good decision. We punched each other until I blocked and kicked him in the stomach. Then I picked him up and powerbombed him. I collapsed and crawled to the cage. I slowly climbed up the cage until Edge and grabbed me. I kicked him in the face and I continued. But I saw the crowd all get up and turn their heads to the entrance. I didn't pay attention. I contiued until out of no where someone hit me with a chair and fell forward to the outside. I technically won the match, but I also lost the match. Tajiri and Corino were beating me down. I tried to get up but again Tajiri gave me one of those lethal kicks and I was down. Corino picks me up throws me over the guard rail. They again start beating on me. Until the crowd just suddenly stops talking and starts to whisper. I look around and see Edge on the top of the steel cage ready to take flight. I kick Corino and Tajiri. Edge then jumps off the cage. Takes about a 10 foot flight and lands directly on us. There's no crowd noise, just an OHHHHHH!! We're all on the ground almost dead, until Rhino comes running down and helps Corino and Tajiri to the back. I slowly sit up and crawl over Edge and help him up. We proudly walk to the back while we get a standing ovation from the crowd.  
  
THE NEXT NIGHT  
I was bruised, my stomach was killing me and I still was scheduled to fight tonight against a newcomer. This is what I don't understand about the business. I've been sacrificing night in and night out to get where I am today. And they bring in a rookie who automatically gets a match withatop runner. But I'm not bitter. I'll fight only if I get a week off. But that won't happen. Last month I asked for the whole month off because I needed to heal a severely broken arm. There's no way I'm getting off tonight. I limp into the arena expecting a "Hey, Chris, man that was a great match last night." But that didn't happen. Instead I got heat from Vince for showing up a little late. I didn't want to hear it but I had to. What would I say to him, "No Vince, I was only 10 minutes late and think I deserve it dammit!" But it was the boss and I had to take it. I walked into the dressing room where about half the roster was there and even then I expected at least recognition. I got one person to congradulate. And that was D-Lo.  
"Hey Chris last night was one of the best matches I've ever seen. You're damn crazy you know that?" I just laughed and patted him on the back.   
"Hey D-Lo. Do you by any chance know who my opponent is tonight?" I asked.  
"No I don't. But what I do know is that he's a rookie to this company and not to the business." Hmmm, that's strange. Why didn't Vince bring that to my attention. I walked out and was on a hunt for Vinnie Mac. Something inside of me brought me to a new level of intensity before I stepped into his office. It was anger, fear, bitterness and everything I had gone through for all rolled into one.   
"Vince, who's my opponent tonight?" I shouted.  
"Hold on Chris, don't get all hyped up. It was supposed to be a surprise. But if you want to hear it -"  
"Don't give me that crap! Why didn't you tell me that he's not a rookie?" My voice was almost and screaming level.  
"He is a rookie."   
"Oh really? Well I've been asking around the locker room and he's wrestled in other organizations other than the independants."   
"........."  
"I'm waiting!" I knew that Vince was happy with me. And he had a right to be. I also think that I have a right to be pissed off.   
"Alright, alright, alright. It's Rick Steiner." Rick Steiner? The same Rick Steiner that quit the company? But more importantly the same guy who bull dogged me off the top rope into a table? I mean we're friends, but he's an absolute beast in the ring. Ask Mick.   
"Rick Steiner?"  
"Yeah."  
"After my match last night you're gonna out in the ring with him?"  
"Sorry Chris. He needed someone to fight and nobody would fight him so I put against you." Oh this was great.  
"So why did you choose me?"   
"I thought that you would take on any guy that comes your way?" he asked.  
"I would. But I've fought this guy before and he's no wrestler. He's a brawler." I stated.  
"Please Chris. Just for tonight. Then you can take a week of house shows off. I just need to give him a push and -"  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, a push? What, you me to lay out?" I asked astonished.  
"I need him to be a main event status overnight. It won't change you at all. I swear." I looked at him. He had that bull crap of a honest face on.   
"Listen I'll do it. But you better promise me that if I do lay do tonight, I will not loose my position as #1 contender." I demanded while pointing a finger at him.  
" I promise." He said. As I walked out of the room I heard Vince let out abig breath. I wasn't trying to scare him, I just wanted to get my point across.   
  
I waited for a half an hour for Steiner to show. I needed to talk with him. I needed to clear things up with him before he breaks me in two. I waited and waited but he never came. I finally gave up and never told Vince. I figured if Steiner never showed I wouldn't have too wrestle, right? WRONG. I get a word from Patterson that Vince wants me to wrestle Dreamer. My best friend. I got up and ran out to meet with Vince. Vince apparently skipped out and left. That cowardly piece of...never mind. I walk around the hall for a little while figuring out what to do. I got it!! I'll go ask Tommy if he wants us to both lye down. I enter his dressing room and tell him my idea.  
"Chris , that's great!!" After we beat on each other for awhile how about we both hit each other with a chair?" I thought about that and I can honestly say it's not a bad idea. I say goodbye and leave the room.   
  
When my music hit, I reluctantly walked out. The crowd cheered as loud as they could. I slowly walked to the ring and pictured J.R. and the King and Joey calling the match the way they usually do. Then Dreamer came out to an alright pop. We stood face to face not budging one bit. We had a plan, a great plan. We would beat on each other for a little while and we would then get a chair and hit each other with it. It would be a double knock out. Perfect! Only one problem, Vince was back and declared this a hardcore match with one stipulation. You cam only win if you get pinned. No knockouts, no count outs, and no DQ. So we beat on each other until we were pretty much dead. One very painful move that Tommy does is he does if when he wraps you foot around the post and let's you hang upside down. Then he dropkicks you in the face. He did that to me, but with an added bonus, he used a chair. I just dropped to the mat and was in a daze. Tommy was tired and I was tired. We just wanted this thing over with. So I got up and kicked him in the stomach then set him up for my Gigantic Bomb. I picked him up and he reversed it and gave me a DDT. The DDT had no affect on me as I shot right back and looked at him. He turned around was met by another kick, then a gigantic bomb. I picked him up and held him there for a minute until I saw a table at ring side, then I dropped him right through the table. The crowd was chanting ECW! ECW! ECW! I picked up and Dreamer and pinned him. I had won the match the respect of everybody in the arena. I helped Tommy up and hugged him. He hugged me back and we raised each others hand.  
  
MY LAST MATCH  
"I've worked in this business for 10 years. I've taken many bumps, maybe even more than Mick. I've wrestled everybody from Sabu to Steve Austin. I've been thinking that I should start a family with Brenda. But I also don't want to leave because I'm only.....man!"   
"Yeah, yeah we're all old. What you need to do is wrestle once more. Have it be your best match you've ever worked." Benoit said jokingly.   
"No man, I'm serious. I want to retire." I said to a dumbfounded Benoit.  
"but Chris, your on the top of your game."  
"Oh come on. You know very well that my best run was with ECW back 94. Now my body is all banged up and my elbow is torn to crap." I said.  
"You're still one of the best guys in the business. You can't leave." He pleaded. I looked him strait in the eye and gave him my most honest answer I can give him.  
"Chris. I've made a decision to retire only because if I don't. I will go out like Flair did." Flair is a classic story about retiring to late. He was in the business for 30 years before retired. And when he did the people hated him for wrestling so long. I want to quit while they can remember me for being a hell of a wrestler and not a washed up jobber. Benoit just nodded and said goodbye to me.   
  
I wasn't quitting right there, I'm that stupid. A week earlier I made a deal with Vince that says I have control over last match. So tonight on the biggest PPV of all time, I'm wrestling the EPW heavyweight champion, also my enemy, Justin Credible in a barbwire match. This is a match where the instead of ropes there will be barbwire. I told the ring boys to wind them tight enough to where they don't sag, but loose enough to where they won't snap of the ring post when you land on them. Every time before a match I listen to the song, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, in my opinion of the best songs ever written. I envisioned my last match to be one of the best matches ever witnessed. Tonight I'm trying to out do the classic Hell In A Cell match between Mick and the Undertaker. Barbwire, and some aerial moves make a classic match. I never told anyone what I would do tonight. It's gonna a surprise that no one will ever forget.  
  
As Justin's music hit I got a tingle down my spine knowing that this match would be great. He had no one with him. He grabbed the mic and explained himself.  
"The reason I have no one with me is that I want to prove to everyone on how incredible I really am by beating the living daylights out of Crow!" He threw down the mic and looked at the barbwire surrounding the ring and motioned for me to come out.  
"Ok." I walked out when my music hit. The crowd was standing chanting CROW! CROW! CROW! I sucked it in and ran to the ring. My stunned foe just looked at like I was a madman. I had come down with a barbwire baseball bat. I looked at him and he ran towards me. I moved out of the way and kicked him in the back of the head. He got down on one knee and I hit him in the back with the barbwire bat. OHHHH!! went the crowd. I looked down and saw him bleeding. I would be lying a little if I'd say I didn't like it just a little bit. I picked him up and kneed him in the stomach then threw him against the barbwire. He snapped back off with a painful yell and I clotheslined him. He hit the canvas and covered up like a baby. I carefully climbed out of the ring and got one of the announcers chairs and threw it in the ring. I then climbed back in and was hit in the head with the chair. I fell down and waited for him to kick me. He dropped the chair and began kicking me. I told him to kick me harder so it would look better. He did and he rolled me in the middle of the ring. He layed the chair on my face and ran and leg dropped the chair. My face didn't really hurt that much, it was his leg that worried me. He hit pretty hard on the chair and I noticed that he held his knee. I got up and asked him if he was ok.  
"Give me a minute." He said. I tried to everything to stall, like throwing chairs into the ring. I even got two tables and set them up on the outside. Even though I would regret it later. Justin finally got up and I held a chair in my hands and I blasted him right between the eyes. The sound was louder than any other chairshot I've ever heard. He was knocked out right there. I looked around the crowd who half was cheering, and the other half was just stunned. I picked him up and punched him a few times to get him awake. I went for a suplex on the barbwire, but it was countered into a reverse DDT. He then got the same chair I hit him with, and set it up in the middle of the ring. I slowly got up and he threw me and I bounced off the barbwire and he tripped me and I fell face first onto the open chair. I rolled out of the ring and acted like I was injured. But when he followed I gave him a low blow and threw him against the guardrail. I grabbed his head an rolled him into the ring. I stood on the apron and was going to give him another suplex. He blocked it and gave me a stunner on the barbwire! I bounced back and fell through the table that I set up earlier in the match. Chants of HOLY SH@T! rang out through the arena. The only thing that hurt was my lip, and that was split. Justin crawled out after me and picked me up. I kicked him and once again went for the suplex and made it, right over the guardrail. I climbed after him and punched him a couple of times then threw him back over the guardrail. There was still one mare table set up and I decided to take advantage of it. Before I went to get the table I bounced Credible's head off the ring post. I then threw the table inside the ring. Credible slowly followed me and I kicked him and tossed him into the wire. And I gave him samoan drop through the table! Visions of dollar signs danced through my head. I pictured the check I would receive after this. I know it sounds selfish, but I got to pay the rent somehow. I stopped and leaned on the barbwire to catch my breath. I looked over at Justin, who was on his feet, and he was bleeding? How? I don't remember doing anything that could make that. Then it came to. The ring post! I have an explanation on how it happened. I want this match to be prefect. He walked over to me and I practically ran him over by a clothesline. Justin just got right back up and I knocked him right back down again. But he got up! He's one tough SOB. Finally I decided to put him out of his misery. I kicked him in the stomach and set him up for my gigantic bomb. I picked him up and he came loose and gave me a DDT. That seems to be a popular counter for my bomb lately. I got right back and he kicked me and hooked me in a suplex, but instead of just dropping me back he fell forward and planted my stomach on the barbwire. That was move that did it for me. My stomach was cut open and bleeding badly. I collapsed in the ring and didn't move. Justin then forced me to get up and somehow I kicked him and did my gigantic bomb on him. I picked him up and practically threw him and he landed on the back of his neck. I quickly covered him and won. I rolled out of the ring and sat on my knees. I wanted to cry, not because of my stomach but the accomplishment of winning my first, and last barbwire match of my career.   
In the back the doc was taping me up and I said my good byes to everyone. I especially wanted to say goodbye to Benoit, who was my best friend.   
"Chris. I'm gonna miss you man." said Benoit to me.  
"We'll still see each other man."  
"I know. But it won't be the same."  
"Hey, I said I was retiring not dying." I said.  
"Ok, but you have to promise me one thing."   
"What?"  
"You need to came back in a few years for one last match." I shook my head and thought about it for a good 3 seconds and said.  
"Ok. Promise." We hugged and I walked out of the arena with Brenda knowing that I will be back in a few more years.  



End file.
